Trip to Cork offers opportunity to get back on track

DESPITE THEIR latest setback, Enniscorthy will still carry the edge going into next Saturday’s round 13 AIL Division 2C clash with Sunday’s Well at Independent Park in Cork.

While they will be still minus some key players, they will hope to have both Timmy Morrissey and Joe Carley back in the pack, with Ivan Jacob pushing hard to be available for his place on the right wing.

Having taken a losing bonus point from the Clonmel game, Enniscorthy will be keen to regain their top of the table spot as soon as possible.

Skerries have leapfrogged them to the top on 48 points from twelve games played, with Enniscorthy three points adrift on 45 after the same number of games.

There is then a considerable gap to third-placed Tullamore on 31 points, while Clonmel - as a result of Saturday’s victory - have jumped up into the fourth play-off spot on 28 points. Enniscorthy have their sights set on winning the division after such a tremendous start to their first campaign in Senior club rugby for over 80 years.

They will see this latest defeat as just a slight blip and, should they maintain the same commitment, particularly as shown when pinned back against the wall and still being able to mount a late challenge which came ever so close to snatching a draw, they will go into the Well game with a degree of confidence.

Coaches Kieran Hurrell and Declan O’Brien have done a tremendous job with their home-bred talent, with so many young players ready to step up to the challenge and bid places in the side.

As the season progresses and the games come thick and fast, it’s this depth to the squad which will be needed to answer the many questions that will be asked of them.

Most of this week will be spent on analysing this latest defeat, but the physio room will also be busy as they attempt to get as many players as possible ready for match action.

The side is evolving nicely and while Sunday’s Well will pose a real Munster-style rugby challenge, Enniscorthy will be up for the game, as they will be determined to avoid a second successive defeat.

A win in Independent Park would set them up nicely for their next home game against Omagh on March 14.

Meanwhile, Enniscorthy open their Provincial Towns Cup campaign with a home game against Portlaoise on March 1, while the Metro League side are away to Navan on March 8.